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Thread: 1985 Pre Custom Shop 1969 Stratocaster Reissue

  1. #1
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    1985 Pre Custom Shop 1969 Stratocaster Reissue

    Hi all, I am new to (vintage) Strats.
    I was offered this Strat in a potential trade.
    Seller claims it is a 1985 pre-custom shop 1969 reissue.
    The neck is even labeled 69, if I am not mistaken - is the neck actually from 69?
    S/N on the neckplate ready 270387

    Is this authentic? I know that the custom shop opened in 1987.
    I couldnt find any guitars alike online.


    Also, what would this guitar be worth in todays market?

    Since it wont let me add pics here, here are the links to the pics:
    https://ibb.co/Z87ZrsH
    https://ibb.co/b7wxnHK
    https://ibb.co/tqkcPwJ
    https://ibb.co/1fvWrMr
    https://ibb.co/KVF8Gp0
    https://ibb.co/2Ssxpvp
    https://ibb.co/myd0HXk
    https://ibb.co/4MQD4zv
    https://ibb.co/G57sp8j
    https://ibb.co/p4QXTcq
    https://ibb.co/swBkNPX

    Thanks a lot in advance!


  2. #2
    Forum Member phantomman's Avatar
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    Re: 1985 Pre Custom Shop 1969 Stratocaster Reissue

    Honestly I'm not sure what you have but it does appear to be an authentic Fender. The details seem to be completely correct for a 1969-era Stratocaster. Have you looked beneath the pickguard for any additional clues? The Fiesta Red finish is beautiful.
    "When injustice becomes law then rebellion becomes duty."

  3. #3
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    Re: 1985 Pre Custom Shop 1969 Stratocaster Reissue

    Not yet. Seller still has it and I am still evaluating, if I should go for the trade.
    He says the pickups have a grey bottom and are marked 69.

    However, I am wondering, if it really is authentic overall, considering that I havent heard of 1985 custom shops before.
    Also I have no idea on the value.

  4. #4
    Forum Member S. Cane's Avatar
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    Re: 1985 Pre Custom Shop 1969 Stratocaster Reissue

    Fender always made custom paintjobs and guitars, but AFAIK there was no such thing as a “Custom Shop”, which is essentially a boutique, before 1987.

  5. #5
    Forum Member phantomman's Avatar
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    Re: 1985 Pre Custom Shop 1969 Stratocaster Reissue

    1985 was a transition year in Fender's history, between the stewardship of CBS and the Bill Schultz coalition that ultimately purchased the corporation. During those speculative years Fender was building only a handful of guitars per day and no amplifiers at all. It's entirely possible that the shop may have built a few custom instruments for preferred customers during this time and since it was operating on a shoestring budget, there wasn't anybody on the staff hired specifically to document these guitars.
    "When injustice becomes law then rebellion becomes duty."

  6. #6
    Forum Member Michael Smith's Avatar
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    Re: 1985 Pre Custom Shop 1969 Stratocaster Reissue

    The serial number you provided matched a reverb unit on the Fender serial number lookup site. But that doesn't really mean too much, as not all serial numbers are entered into their database.
    "When You're Riding Down the Highway at Night, And You're Feeling that Wild Turkey's Bite" ZZ Top

  7. #7
    TFF Stage Crew
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    Re: 1985 Pre Custom Shop 1969 Stratocaster Reissue

    I don't think Fender would ever put an inauthentic date on a neck

  8. #8
    Forum Member BAT340's Avatar
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    Re: 1985 Pre Custom Shop 1969 Stratocaster Reissue

    I don't believe Fender started making '69's in the custom shop until 1996.

  9. #9
    Forum Member Offshore Angler's Avatar
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    Re: 1985 Pre Custom Shop 1969 Stratocaster Reissue

    Nope, it's not the original neck. You can see where it's been dowelled and redrilled. Either a fake or a partscaster. Would have never let it go like that unless it was a second.
    Last edited by Offshore Angler; 01-16-2023 at 11:19 AM.
    "No harmonic knowledge, no sense of time, a ghastly tone, unskilled vibrato, and so on. Chuck is one of the worst guitar players I know" -Gravity Jim

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